Shannon Stacey


Author newsletters

I’m knee-deep in revising a very long love scene which is exceptionally heavy on the sensory perceptions, and takes place in an electrical storm to boot, so I can’t think of anything remotely profound to say. Other than “ZAP! Take that! Zzzzttt…Zzzzzttttttttt…”

Anyway, I’ll ponder author newsletters. It’s almost time for me to start thinking about mine, which I’d probably like to have a little more focus than my blog. *g*

Charlene’s newsletter is wicked cool! Have you seen it?

Anyway, what the heck am I supposed to put in it? *g* Obviously release date, blurb, and link to the cover.

What else?

Excerpts? Interviews with other authors? What I did over summer vacation? Does anybody read them, or do you just skim for title and release date? Recipes?

This stuff is hard! What do you think should or shouldn’t be in an author’s newsletter?

18 comments to “Author newsletters”

  1. Charlene T
    Comment
    1
      · May 3rd, 2005 at 11:24 pm · Link

    You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen two author’s newsletters that were alike. It’s a pretty elastic format. Mine fulfills a lifelong fantasy in which I write for a trashy tabloid. Maybe there’s something you’ve always wanted to do that you could utilize? :devil:



  2. Sasha
    Comment
    2
      · May 4th, 2005 at 3:51 am · Link

    :wtf: You reading my mind?

    LOL I actually asked in my newsletter today..wheat everyone would like to see more of. :roll:



  3. Sasha
    Comment
    3
      · May 4th, 2005 at 3:54 am · Link

    :clap:WOW..Charlenes newsletter is :censor:ing AWESOME! :cheer:



  4. Ellen Fisher
    Comment
    4
      · May 4th, 2005 at 7:58 am · Link

    My newsletter is boring, not like Charlene’s, which is way cool:-). One thing I do like to do in my newsletter, though, is list a couple of books I’m reading every month. I mention either small press/epub books or books by new authors, figuring these books are more in need of good word of mouth than NY Times bestsellers. This is my way of supporting other authors.



  5. Larissa
    Comment
    5
      · May 4th, 2005 at 8:35 am · Link

    Ooh, her newsletter is GREAT! I’m afraid of newsletters. I’d probably come up with TOTALLY lame-o crap.

    As for what I like to see in newsletters…excerpts of coming stuff, and news about the author’s projects.



  6. Demented Michelle
    Comment
    6
      · May 4th, 2005 at 9:35 am · Link

    I don’t know about content, but make it visually clean and easy to navigate–especially if you put it online.

    I find newsletters lose me if the text is too small or the titles sound uninteresting (definitely go with whacko titles to hook readers) and I won’t wait for downloads or battle through a bunch of homogenous (sp?) text.

    M



  7. AngieW
    Comment
    7
      · May 4th, 2005 at 10:30 am · Link

    Michelle is exactly right. I like it easily segmented and easy to read. Contests are good, I think interviews are boring but that’s just me. Excerpts, an ongoing story (one chapter per newsletter), recommended reads, funny stuff… you’ve got humor going for you Shan so you should use that. You’ll be FINE!

    Now, shouldn’t you be writing? :whip:



  8. Mel
    Comment
    8
      · May 4th, 2005 at 10:35 am · Link

    Me thinks Angie just wanted to use that whip :neener:

    I haven’t sent out a newsletter in eons cuz well, of the bore factor. I like that ongoing story idea :)

    I think Shannon should do interviews with her characters :P I love reading those. And definitely let’s hear what you’re reading or even links to websites/articles/etc that you found interesting. OOOO can dooo eeeet!



  9. Shannon
    Comment
    9
      · May 4th, 2005 at 12:18 pm · Link

    Maybe there’s something you’ve always wanted to do that you could utilize?

    I’m not sure how grabbing Sean Bean’s ass is going to help me with my newsletter, but I’ll do my best!

    :lmao:

    Oh crap, Sasha! If you had a newsletter go out today, I must have totally screwed up somehow, cause I didn’t get it. I’ll have to head over and subscribe again. Correctly this time. :grin:

    That’s awesome, Ellen. Every little bit helps, and I’m more apt to buy a recommendation from an author I enjoy reading than a review site or message board. :thumb:

    Larissa, I’m afraid of newsletters, too. But I guess I’ve gotta have one. :oops:

    So, Michelle and Angie, what if it’s just a yahoogroups text newsletter? Does that turn you off? Does it matter if an author spends big bucks on a site-coordinated, graphic-atized newsletter? (Yeah, I’m just making words up now.)

    She does like that whip, doesn’t she? And if I have to do one, you have to do one, too. :cheer:

    Actually, y’all’s comments (there’s another one) gave me an idea to play with. So…OMG, THE PRESSURE!

    Sorry. Better now. :dance:



  10. AngieW
    Comment
    10
      · May 4th, 2005 at 6:56 pm · Link

    I actually wrote a really long post a few months ago on Mel’s board giving tons of ideas for a newsletter when she asked. I don’t care if it’s a yahoo group newsletter because it can still be done well. I think Jaci’s is back to yahoo groups. Bells and whistles aren’t necessary, it just needs to be easy to read. I’ll have to be on the lookout for the ones I get that really irritate me and forward them to you for examples of what not to do.

    And I love this :whip: I said I was claiming it for my own since it suits me so well :neener:



  11. Nicole
    Comment
    11
      · May 4th, 2005 at 8:34 pm · Link

    I want easy to read. I want a link to the excerpt, I don’t want it in the newsletter.

    AND…I’m kinda sick of the newsletters that come out monthly just because and have no info. I’d rather get a nice newsletter about a month before a new release and then one once it’s out.

    Maybe I’m in the minority, but lately I’ve found myself deleting a lot of newsletters unread or barely glanced at. And please…not another yahoo group where everyone and their aunt posts on.



  12. Shannon
    Comment
    12
      · May 4th, 2005 at 8:37 pm · Link

    I’ll look for that post on Mel’s board, Angie. Awesome!

    I like the idea of a link to the excerpt, Nicole. Less stuff to read in the email. And I’ve got a message board set up, instead of a yahoogroup. I like the format better, so the yahoogroup is newsletter only. :nod:



  13. Sasha
    Comment
    13
      · May 5th, 2005 at 2:06 am · Link

    Shannon, if you eamila me…I’ll add you to my subscribers list and send Yesterday out to you. *g*

    and any of thos others that are interested. :nod:



  14. Shannon
    Comment
    14
      · May 5th, 2005 at 9:32 am · Link

    Cool! :woot:



  15. Jaynie R
    Comment
    15
      · May 5th, 2005 at 11:21 pm · Link

    Contests. You want to have a contest. Blurb and cover art with a link to the excerpt. News about your WIP, new contracts, where you are chatting, who is interviewing you, new reviews, if you’ve updated your website what you’ve talked about on your blog recently.:devil:

    I personally also like – writer’s tips, books you have been reading, blogs you like, other author sites you like.



  16. Shannon
    Comment
    16
      · May 6th, 2005 at 12:38 am · Link

    :baby:

    I’m taking notes! I have a pretty fun (I think) idea for a contest basket. And I guess people like books, too. :rofl:

    Lots of food for thought here. I’m so afraid I’m going to have the stupidest newsletter EVER and everybody’s going to think, “What a DUMBASS!” :baby:

    (Yes, this is why Jaci christened me Lady of the Howler Monkeys.)



  17. Nancy Henderson
    Comment
    17
      · May 9th, 2005 at 12:51 pm · Link

    I like writing tips in newsletters.

    Please sign me up for yours!

    Nancy Henderson
    http://www.nancyhenderson.com



  18. Shannon
    Comment
    18
      · May 10th, 2005 at 7:47 am · Link

    Thanks, Nancy, and I’ll do that! :cheesy:



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